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required textbooks

media unlimited by todd gitlin

the elements of style illustrated by strunk, white, kalman
penguin, 2000

an anthology of graphic fiction, cartoons, and true stories vol. 1 ed. by ivan brunetti
yale univ press, 2006

understanding comics, the invisible art by scott mccloud
harper paperbacks, 1994

the principles of uncertainty by maira kalman
penguin, 2007

when I see the sea once more will the sea have seen or not seen me?

—d.h. lawrence

 

other required resources

frequent access to, and familiarity with, email, blackboard, and microsoft word

access to home or school computers installed with visual programs such as adobe photoshop or elements, microsoft power point, adobe acrobat, etc.

ability, as needed, to access the technology learning and media center at ITS

                        

Important note: our anthology of comics (Brunetti) is a challenging book in many ways, one of which is its potentially offensive content in spots. Your assigned reading will not include the most agregious of these. If you are uncomfortable using the text at all, please speak to me ASAP so that we can arrange alternatives.

Course Objectives

This course involves a combination of reflection, practical application, and brazen experiment.

At the end of the semester, students should be able to:

  • Discuss visual culture and language intelligently with classmates, instructors, friends and family, drawing on principles and vocabulary introduced in class.
  • Explain the importance of visual literacy to classmates, instructors, friends and family.
  • Analyze print and screen forms of communication with precision, drawing on the frameworks introduced in class.
  • Describe and assess their own involvement in a visual culture.
  • "Write visually." I.e., produce effective visual communication in several genres and media related to personal, professional, and/or educational goals.


Major Coursework and Grades

Grading is based on a simple, cummulative, 100-point scale. The final grade scale looks like this:

88-100 pts. = A
75-87 pts. = B
62-74 pts. = C
49-61 pts. = D

Semester points are earned through the following:

Major Projects (60 pts. total possible)  (For full instructions and criteria, click on each project title below.)

Cyber Work (30 pts.)

You should think of this as a two-day per week course, except that—because it's a hybrid course —we will only meet once each week face-to-face. The second "meeting" each week will be online, what we'll call our weekly cyber class.

Everyone will create their own thread in our Bb Discussion Board, and this is where all cyber class work will be posted. Instructions for each week's work will be available in the same Discussion Board forum.

Each week's cyber work will generally be worth from one to five points.

Sec. 1's (Tues. class) cyber work is due by 11:59 pm each Sun.
Sec. 2's (Thurs. class) cyber work is due by 11:59 pm each Tues.

I will do A PERIODIC EVALUATION OF YOUR CYBER WORK as we procede through the term. Watch for announcements.

 

Portfolio (5 pts. possible)

For full instructions and criteria, click here.

Your electronic portfolio will be handed in no later than Monday, May 10th. (Late portfolios are only accepted with documented evidence of serious hardship or illness.) It will be scored/graded for presentation, and, in the case of the letter, also for content. The portfolio will include the following:

1) A letter to me reflecting on what you've learned over the course of the semester.

2) Copies of your finished projects, at least 3 genres.

3) Selections of your best weekly work.

4) The equivalent of at least 18 pages of writing or more, not counting the letter.


Performance and Participation

This is a Hybrid Course

This is a two-session per week course. However, we only meet face-to-face on Tuesdays (section 1) or Thursdays (section 2). You are expected to complete the second session's worth of work on your own time during any given week. Self-discipline and initiative are therefore extra important. You'll need to take responsibility for your time and be sure that you complete each week's tasks. These will sometimes include meeting with your classmates to work in groups.

Coming Late to Class =

A BAD IDEA. It's disruptive and rude, and you will have less time to work on your learning log. You'll also miss important announcements and instructions which are covered in the first few minutes of every session. You are responsible for knowing announcements and instructions whether you are present or not.

Missing Class

If you miss a class meeting, the first thing you must do is check the online schedule as well as Blackboard (Power Point Presentations and Discussion Board in particular). When you've informed yourself by reading those documents, next CONTACT SEVERAL CLASSMATES for full notes. THEN, if you have INFORMED questions or need handouts, you may see or email me at any time. DO NOT first come to me asking: what did we do? You are responsible for finding out what transpired in any class session on your own.

Once you've gathered info for a missed class, you can make your learning log entries for the day.

In email communications with me, ALWAYS include the name of the course you are in and its section number, if applicable.

If any part of these policies is confusing to you, please inquire in class so that I can clarify things for the whole group.

Failure to heed the above information may result in my sending you to the "YOU ARE A DORK" web page.

Digging Class

A key word in this class is CURIOSITY. One of the WORST things you can do is tell me that SOMETHING BORED YOU. All coursework will require active thinking and engagement. If you are energetically reflecting, imagining, questioning, and struggling when you read course materials or complete course work, YOU WILL NEVER BE BORED. Admissions of boredom are embarassing, because they reveal that you yourself are a boring person.

If you do not UNDERSTAND something, do not become frustrated, angry, or defeated. REJOICE! :) You are in exactly the right place to begin LEARNING. When confused or otherwise stumped, ASK QUESTIONS. Be willing to be dumb. Dig. Explore. LOOK THINGS UP. Engage others. Contact your instructor. And, yes, even RE-READ assignments!

Class participation does not simply mean perfect attendance. Becoming a better writer requires critical thinking, dialogue, and practice. This is in part a workshop course, which requires your active input and involvement.

Web-Surfing, Facebooking, Texting, Etc.

None of these activities is permitted in class unless they are linked directly to coursework.


Policies (Course, Department, and University)

Americans with Disabilities Act: "Any students with disabilities or other special needs, who need specific accomodations in this course, are invited to share these concerns or requests with the instructor as soon as possible."

Deadlines:

Project deadlines include a 1-week grace period. Any projects turned in late but within the 1-week mark will not be subject to any penalty other than late scoring/grading. That is, if you turn you project in late but within the grace period, it will be scored/graded after other student work, and generally at the instructor's convenience. That could take awhile! Please note that it is in your interests to receive your scores as soon as possible, so that you can keep track of your progress in the course. Late turn-ins are not advisable.

No work will be accepted after the last day of finals week.

English Department Attendance Policy: "In compliance with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 333: Class Attendance and Policy and Procedure, located at <http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/333.htm>, the English Department has established the following attendance policy. All English Department courses require active learning. Students are expected to speak, listen, and contribute. Therefore, prompt, regular attendance is required. Students who miss more than four weeks of class during the standard academic semester (e.g. twelve 50 minute classes, eight 75 minute classes, or their equivalent) will not pass the course. Moreover, each student is accountable for all work missed because of absence, and instructors have no obligation to make special arrangements for missed work."

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: "work submitted for this course must adhere to the Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct as cited in the Handbook of Student Policies: 'The academic community is operated on the basis of honesty, integrity, and fair play. Occasionally, this trust is violated when cheating occurs, either inadvertently or deliberately. This code will serve as the guideline for cases where cheating, plagiarism, or other academic improprieties have occurred. . . . Faculty members may fail the student for the particular assignment, test, or course involved, or they may recommend that the student drop the course in question, or these penalties may be varied with the gravity of the offense and the circumstances of the particular case' (65). See also: http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/335.htm."

Academic Honesty Defined: All written and oral presentations must “respect the intellectual rights of others. Statements lifted verbatim from publications must be cited as quotations. Ideas, summaries or paraphrased material, and other information taken from the literature must be properly referenced” (Guidelines for the Presentation of Disquisitions, NDSU Graduate School, 4). In other words, if it is not your work or words, give proper credit to the author.

English Department Policy on Plagiarism: " Instructors in the English department try to distinguish between inadvertent and deliberate plagiarism. Initial instances of inadvertent plagiarism will be pointed out and revision will be expected; deliberate plagiarism may result in zero for an assignment, possible F for the course. Plagiarism isn’t worth it. You all have your own great ideas; why not share them?"

Code of Student Behavior: "all interactions in this course will be civil and show respect for others.  Student conduct at NDSU is governed by the Code of Student Behavior: http://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/studentlife/StudentCode.pdf

University's Emergency Action Guide: http://www.ndsu.edu/police_safety/safety/Forms/EmergencyActionGuidePosterNew09.pdf . We are told that it's always good to review this info.



General Education Outcomes

English 357, Visual Language and Culture has been approved for the Dept. of English Upper Division Writing Program and for Category C, Communications, General Education credits in the North Dakota University System. Students in this course will be asked to meet two General Education Outcomes:

GE Outcome 1: Communicate effectively in a variety of contexts and modes, using a variety of communication skills.

  • Communicate effectively in assigned written, visual, and hybrid genres (written-visual).
  • Develop a meta-language for being able to talk about and analyze visual language.

GE Outcome 6: Integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner.

  • Provide written analysis of visual language artifacts.
  • Demonstrate understanding of issues in visual culture and language.

This course will also emphasize the following English department goal:

  • Students will learn to manage sophisticated writing and research projects, planning, documenting, completing, and assessing work on time and within the constraints of the project.

 

English Department Content Goal for this Course

While this course is designed to appeal to, and be appropriate for, students from all majors at NDSU, English majors taking this course will produce work that can meet three departmental outcomes. English majors in this class should save all work for possible inclusion in their capstone portfolio.

  • Outcome 1: English majors will be able to write and speak effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences in a variety of genres and media.
  • Outcome 2: English majors will be able to read (analyze, interpret, critique, evaluate) written and visual texts.
  • Outcome 6: English majors will be familiar with visual language and communication as culturally and historically embedded practices.

This course can also count towards an English Minor in Writing.

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Thanks to Melissa Vossen and Kevin Brooks for many of the materials and information on this website.